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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26153206">Okay, We're on an Island</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muddell/pseuds/Muddell'>Muddell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Young Justice (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, BAMF Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dick Grayson Feels, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson Whump, Dick Grayson-centric, Gen, How the hell do you tag that he gets stranded on an island, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Protective Bruce Wayne, Protective Roy Harper, Protective Team, Team Dynamics, The world is watching too, Whump, it's a mess, um</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:02:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26153206</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muddell/pseuds/Muddell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick Grayson signed up for a school trip, not for his class getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, their every move broadcasted across the world without their knowledge. Now, with the lives of his classmates in danger, he's got his work cut out for him if he wants to keep his superhero persona a secret.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Artemis Crock &amp; Dick Grayson, Artemis Crock &amp; Dick Grayson &amp; Kaldur'ahm &amp; Kon-El | Conner Kent &amp; M'gann M'orzz &amp; Wally West, Barbara Gordon &amp; Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson &amp; Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson &amp; Bette Kane, Dick Grayson &amp; Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson &amp; Justice League, Dick Grayson &amp; Kaldur'ahm, Dick Grayson &amp; Kon-El | Conner Kent, Dick Grayson &amp; M'gann M'orzz, Dick Grayson &amp; Roy Harper, Dick Grayson &amp; Wally West</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>190</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Arrival</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, I just want it on the record that with a few exceptions I dislike original characters...however, to make this story work I did include some as Dicks' classmates. So like, this is just an apology about that beforehand. Anyway, enjoy?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Ouch!</em>
</p><p>"...and so if we examine the substance under a..."</p><p>
  <em>No!No!No!</em>
</p><p>"...exactly how it reacts to our variable..."</p><p>
  <em>Stop moving!</em>
</p><p>"Mr. Grayson."</p><p>
  <em>Ow!</em>
</p><p>"Mr. Grayson."</p><p>
  <em>Did someone say something?</em>
</p><p>"Mr. Grayson!"</p><p>"Yes ma'am!" Dick pulled away from his internal moaning to the present where he found his whole class staring at him, including the teacher.</p><p>"I've said your name several times now, Mr. Grayson. Is everything alright?"</p><p>
  <em>No everything is not 'alright', I fell out a window last night!</em>
</p><p>"Everything's perfectly fine, I just dozed off a moment." He gave her his best innocent, as Wally put it, 'I'm cuter than Bambi' look.</p><p>She seemed to buy it. "Alright then, please give the class your full attention in the future."</p><p>Dick ignored the urge to grimace and instead tilted his mouth into a smile. "Of course." She nodded and returned her attention to the rest of the class. After a moment any curious glances stopped and Dick was able to drop his facade slightly.</p><p>In truth, he really shouldn't have been in school at the moment, in fact Alfred wouldn't have let him go to school if he had known what Dick, Robin at the time, had gotten himself into while patrolling the previous night.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Robin was retracing his route back to where he was supposed to meet Bruce. He had finished combing through his portion of Gotham, stopping a few gangs, intervening in several muggings, the usual. Him and Batman hadn't been expecting anything big, after all, the usual suspects were recently locked up in Arkham and he doubted they were in the mood to escape yet.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For Gotham it wasn't that bad a night. By making his way across rooftops he had access to a breeze that would normally be cut up by all the buildings, he could hardly smell the pollution.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Robin always pictured Gotham as a beautiful place in a morbid sort of way. If he could look past the crimes and the garbage he was able to see the way that moon washed over the distant water or how the world could light up in the presence of the countless buildings.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he'd voiced these thoughts aloud to his team Artemis asked him, with the straightest face possible if, "You've been concussed one too many times."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He probably had but that wasn't the point.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lost in thought the Boy Wonder almost missed it.</em>
</p><p><em>The thud and the indignant shout that followed, even though he was going past an </em>abandoned <em>warehouse district.</em></p><p>
  <em>Cautiously</em>
  <em> he stealthily crawled through a broken window and crouched on the rafters where he could look down below.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was the Penguin. He was surrounded by a group of thugs, two of which were in the middle of going at it with one another. Robin figured that was the noise that had drawn him in.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He evaluated the situation. The Penguin didn't have any concerning attributes, he could take him without breaking a sweat, as for the thugs? as long as he didn't slip up it wouldn't be an issue.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't need Batman for this one. With that in mind he dropped catlike from the rafters and landed on a beefy man's shoulders, while his signature eerie cackle echoed around the space.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Robin was doing fine, taking out foes easily.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Punch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Duck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Flip.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Side kick.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was second nature.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of course he hadn't accounted for the little girl. When one of the thugs held her, a kid who could've been in elementary school, by the scruff of her dirt smeared, rosy, pink jacket and tossed her out the window everything went downhill.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Robin dived out the window without hesitating and just managed to pull her small form to his chest before they hit the ground. He hadn't had the time to do anything except brace himself and he couldn't help but be thankful that instead of landing on the concrete he had crashed through a rotting wooden crate.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>He hadn't mentioned it to Bruce or Alfred and instead gone to school, knowing that he had too many absences as it was. He was really regretting that decision now. He was pretty sure a scrape on his arm had rubbed the wrong way against the ace bandage under his sleeve, a bandage that had come loose when a kid two times his size had slammed into his shoulder walking down the hall.</p><p>He just hoped the blood wasn't leaking through.</p><p>After finishing his final morning class he sped away towards the bathroom, spending the beginning portion of his lunch hour re-bandaging his arm, where his blood had just started seeping through the white cloth haphazardly covering it.</p><p>Dick also pulled up his shirt and examined the array of bruising and minor cuts that spread across his torso. The few stitches he had done himself held tight and other than the pain nothing was seriously concerning.</p><p>Armed with the knowledge that he would be perfectly fine, both from detection and from his injuries themselves, Dick made his way to the lunch room where his friend Barbara had saved him a seat. Artemis and Bette Kane were also sitting at the table.</p><p>Barbara flagged him down and when he slid into his chair her trained eyes seemed to notice the tell-tale slight tensing of muscles that screamed out 'hurt'. She eyed him with a scrutinizing gaze.</p><p>"I was about to think you weren't going to come, what held you?" She asked.</p><p>"Oh, got caught spacing out in class, Mrs. Fields held me back." He lied smoothly. Barbara still looked unsure but one pointed glare from Dick was enough to send the message, <em>drop it.</em></p><p>Bette, completely oblivious, leaned forward. "Did you hear the news, Dick?" She asked excitedly.</p><p>"What?" Bette's eyebrows shot up and her lips twisted into a smile.</p><p>"So you <em>haven't </em>heard?" She teased, holding out exactly <em>what </em>it was he hadn't heard. "Apparently there was a breakthrough regarding Robin's real identity."</p><p>Artemis, Barbara, and Dick froze in unison.</p><p>Bette prattled on, "Yeah, someone reported seeing him wash out his hair." Dick was understandably confused, because there was no way that he would have been washing his hair in his Robin suit where someone could have seen. "You know how everyone's always thought that his hair was really dark or black? actually sort of like yours, well it <em>isn't. </em>It's actually <em>blond</em>."</p><p>Dick sighed in relief, trying to ignore Barbara's snickers and Artemis's snort of amusement. "Well even if Robin is a Blondie I don't see how that's really going to help them narrow down the search." Dick pointed out to Bette's crestfallen realization.</p><p>Artemis was looking at him funny, like she had forgotten something that had to do with him and she couldn't remember exactly what it was.</p><p>Dick knew exactly what thoughts she was wrestling with. The fact that his secret persona, Robin, spent so much time with her, as well as his civilian mask Dick Grayson at school was something he had been both distinctly worried and excited about. On one hand, having someone close to his own age besides Barbara, Wally, and Roy knowing his identity would be great, on the other, Bruce wouldn't be happy with the amount of vulnerability that came with more people knowing his secret.</p><p>Dick was groping around for a subject to distract her and possibly save her from death by daddy bats when Bette came through again splendidly.</p><p>"Well I guess I hadn't really thought of that. But on a different note, do you think Bruce is going to loosen up a bit and let you go with us for the class trip?" Dick couldn't help but wish that Bette had picked any question rather than that.</p><p>He winced. "Well I've given an arm and a leg trying to convince him but he isn't sure it's a good idea, with all the security risks and everything."</p><p>"Oh my gosh, at least you have a chance of going on a trip, our homeroom teacher completely shut down the idea of going <em>anywhere</em>." Barbara complained as Artemis nodded in agreement. "You're so lucky that you guys have Mr. Robinson. We're stuck with Mrs. Scott." All four of them shuddered at the thought of the vulture-like woman who was so wrinkled and sour she could have passed for a prune.</p><p>The conversation turned to complaining about the schools staff, however Dick couldn't help but think in the back of his mind that it really would be fun to go on the field trip, do something normal for once. Something normal for a different kid of course, Dick didn't feel like jumping out of any more windows like he could usually be found doing.</p><p>As he went on with his day ignoring waves of pain he decided he was most definitely going to convince Bruce and Alfred to let him go.</p>
<hr/><p>"No."</p><p>"Absolutely not."</p><p>Both Bruce and Alfred answered at the same time following the ten minute presentation on the benefits involved in allowing Dick to join his class trip, as well as how to counteract the problems that could possibly arise.</p><p>"But Bruuuuuuce! Alfiiiiiiie!" Dick couldn't help but whine. "I really want to go on this one!"</p><p>"Dick, it's a no, that's my final answer." Bruce made to get up from the armchair facing his power point but Dick wasn't done yet. He had tried to play fair, but Bruce wasn't giving him much of a choice.</p><p>"Okay, but can I have a hug first?" Dick asked, holding out his hands innocently. Alfred and Bruce exchanged suspicious glances, knowing this was likely a trap, however Bruce had always been a sucker when it came to Dick so he kneeled down and hesitantly opened his arms.</p><p>Dick flung himself forward and in seconds was whispering sharply in Bruce's ear as the larger mans eyes grew wider by the second. Alfred could only make out snatches of the conversation but he caught the gist of it after a sentence included the words, 'bat-computer', 'photographs', 'encrypted', and 'Selena'.</p><p>"...Alfred Dick's going on a school trip.'"</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Three days Later</em>
</p><p>Pedestrians made their way through the streets of major cities all over the globe, be it night or day, children played with friends or snuggled under comforters as they drifted off to sleep, adults grumbled on their way to work or got ready for nights out on the town with friends. It was a completely normal day, a day no one would predict could have gone so wrong.</p><p>At exactly 12:00 in Gotham suddenly everything, electronics, machines, cars, spluttered to a stop. Everything, everywhere, turned off in a worldwide blackout.</p><p>People screamed or looked around in panic. They had been living in a world filled with the impossible for some time now and knew that their perspective could be tipped on its axis whenever an alien race or meta-human had a whim.</p><p>Even the watchtower shut down momentarily, however thanks to a few electricity based superheros they were able to get the life sustaining systems running.</p><p>For five minutes citizens panicked, governments acted in barely concealed chaos, superheros searched for the cause in confusion.</p><p>And then they stopped.</p><p>In unison every device with a screen flickered to life with a blank background. People from all over turned to their TV's, dug out phones from coat pockets, or looked up at digital billboards. Dark, thick text spread across the screen as a subtitle and an electronically modified voice began speaking, the language of the subtitle changing depending on where in the world you were viewing from.</p><p>
  <strong>"I used to be human. But now I am a god."</strong>
</p><p>"Metahuman." Superman growled from the Watchtower.</p><p>The voice continued. <strong>"We live in a new world, where some are strong and some are weak. Humans are weak."</strong></p><p>People exchanged looks with family members or random passerby on the street. It was never good when a meta-human got to big for his britches and decided to attempt world domination or something along those lines, and even though most everyone trusted the Justice League to take care of whoever it was this time they couldn't be so sure. Clearly whoever the perpetrator was they were powerful.</p><p><strong>"Some humans have decided they have what it takes to oppose gods, such as I. Starting now I am putting a stop to such ridiculous notions. My next message is for you Batman, how close by is Robin at the moment?"</strong> People turned and whispered to each other nervously. If this guy thought he could challenge the bat and the bird he was off his rocker, and both Batman and Robin didn't seem to have the best track history with insane villains.</p><p>
  <strong>"To all lowly humans out there, I'm putting you in your place. I will begin my purge of those inferior with the hero you all have become so attached to, resistance is futile."</strong>
</p><p>Wonder woman couldn't help the worry that gripped her. This man, whoever he may be, had the power to disrupt all technology in the world, including the watchtower. Who knew what he could have access too, nukes, codes, anything at all. All of this power and he was after Robin. The little boy who had visited the watchtower with his overprotective mentor and won over the hearts of all the Justice League. Who had called her Auntie Diana</p><p>She was terrified for the bird.</p><p>
  <strong>"I've intercepted a class on a trip and, following the story of these students, you will all be enlightened, you will understand humanitys weakness."</strong>
</p><p>"Hold on a minute." The Flash said angrily from the Watchtower. Immediately every screen in the world showed him and he faltered for a second before regaining his composure easily. "What do you mean, 'intercepted a class on a trip'."</p><p><strong>"I mean exactly that. This class has been taken hostage, and there is nowhere in this world you will be able to find them."</strong> That gave people a pause, what was happening to those kids? How old were they? <em>Who </em>were they? The confusion was palpable.</p><p><strong>"Let us begin."</strong> The screen turned black before switching to a scene.</p>
<hr/><p>A tall girl about fifteen years old, with curly blond hair and tan skin, was leaning against her airplane seat as she stared out the window. Besides her a muscular boy with light brown hair and a square jaw yawned loudly. As he stretched his arms above his head and down again one wrapped around the girls shoulders slyly. She shoved him off.</p><p>"Nice try Jason."</p><p>"Aw, come on Bette-baby! Just give me a chance." He smiled at her revealing shiny white teeth aligned in a perfect grin.</p><p>"No way, I'm not being the school womanizers pet."</p><p>Members of the audience gasped, recognizing the girl. Bette Kane was the daughter of a successful Gotham businessman and many were familiar with her from the countless magazines that featured her, modeling newer trends.</p><p>Bette's father, who was in the middle of a meeting gasped and leaned closer worried that somehow his daughter had been caught up in all this. "Bette." He murmured sadly.</p><p>The two teenagers engaged in a rocky conversation with one trying to flirt as the other complained. The camera panned away from them and slowly zigzagged in between teens doing normal everyday things.</p><p>Parents and friends gasped as people they knew were revealed and then tried to hold out on the hope that those they knew wouldn't be a victim of whatever was planned.</p><p>Bruce knew. As soon as he saw Bette Kane he knew that the entire reason the class was being targeted was because whoever was behind all this knew Dick's secret identity.</p><p>The camera settled on a young boy who looked smaller than everyone else with jet black hair and captivating blue eyes.</p><p>Everyone knew who this was, Richard Grayson, Bruce Wayne's charity case. Whisper's spread all over the planet referring to the same thing. Just how would <em>Bruce Wayne </em>react to Richard being part of all this?</p><p>Richard Grayson was currently working his way through a book filled with complex equations that left most viewers dizzy. He easily penciled in answers halfheartedly.</p><p>All of a sudden he tensed and immediately made a grab for the bag in the seat next to him, startling everyone. Before he was able to find whatever he was looking for the plane gave a sudden lurch and began experiencing extreme turbulence.</p><p>Children screamed and grabbed onto nearby friends as Richard shot up out of his seat and ran up the aisle towards the cockpit, but before he could make it a blinding flash filled the interior of the plane and the scene changed, amid the world's terror and anticipation.</p>
<hr/><p>The camera showed a beach with a thick forest surrounding it. On the beach still bodies were flung randomly into the sand, strew among luggage. They all looked awful, hair tangled and splayed along their pain filled grimaces, limbs laying in unnatural positions, blood sluggishly soaking into the sand.</p><p>Some of the people watching couldn't help but turn away in disgust, while others with stronger stomachs searched for any sign of life. Children frowned in confusion as parents hasty hands wrapped around their eyes.</p><p>For the better part of a minute nothing changed besides the strangled breath of some teenagers. Until finally, a girl with mousy brown hair groaned into her arm, which her head had been fortunate enough to land on. She started coughing and slowly sat up to look around.</p><p>You could tell when she realized where she was, when the horror filled her hazel eyes and she sobbed into a hand clasped around her mouth. Her eyes flicked from the cut on her arm, her surroundings and her unconscious classmates.</p><p>The girl suddenly screamed and jumped to her feet as she jumped over to the nearest person, who was also a girl with black hair and a heart shaped face.</p><p>"Ava! Get up! Please wake up!" The first girl screamed desperately as she rolled Ava over onto her back and swept the hair out of her sleeping face.</p><p>Ava didn't move so the brunette laid her on the ground carefully and skidded over to the next body, a wiry red haired boy with an array of freckles on his face. She grabbed him by the shoulders and started yelling again, "Oh God, please! You have to wake up! Cameron, come on!" This time she had better luck. The boy's eyes squeezed tighter together under the sun's glare and he moaned, his brown eyes flickering open anyway.</p><p>"Riley? What's wrong-" He stopped abruptly as his eyes focused on the scene around him. "Oh my God."</p><p>His scratched and bleeding hands scrambled for purchase on the sand as he flung himself back from the puddle of blood that had pooled out of a nearby girl's sliced shoulder.</p><p>"Wh-what?" He swiped sand away from his eyes and brushed impatiently at a nosebleed. "Riley, what the hell happened!"</p><p>"I don't know!" The girl sobbed a hand clasping itself over her mouth as her stomach roiled with trepidation. "Oh God, just, just help me!" She heaved herself over to the girl with a slashed shoulder and flipped her over onto her back. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth and her facial features tensed.</p><p>The boy, Cameron, clenched his fists but rushed to the side of the same brown haired boy that had flirted with Bette Kane on the plane. "Jason! You gotta wake up, c'mon man, now isn't the time for a nap."</p><p>The doctor's watching winced as the kids manhandled their injured peers in their desperation. Shaking an unconscious person before deducting the cause of their situation wasn't advisable.</p><p>Jason seemed to be better off than most of the bodies. The only noticeable injuries were the scrape running from just under his left eye to the curve of his chin, and a vivid array of bruising covering his calf from where the bottom of his pant leg had torn away.</p><p>He snapped awake quickly and gripped Cameron's upper arm forcefully, hazel eyes wide.</p><p>"What the-"</p><p>"No time!" Cameron cut him off, heaving the other, taller and more filled out, boy to his feet impatiently.</p><p>Jason took in the scene. His jaw dropped open and he stood frozen, mouth agape, and until Riley's panicked voice cut across his thoughts. "Boys! Come on! Help me check on the others."</p><p>Jason strode off towards another kid, as Cameron and Riley worked their way through their own sections. They each called out updates as they went.</p><p>"I think Chris is good! But he won't wake up..."</p><p>"Avery has a pulse...Her arm's pretty busted up though..."</p><p>"Lizzie's waking up!"</p><p>"...I think that's a pulse."</p><p>"Ugh, my head..."</p><p>The comments penetrated the air, bringing relief and horror to those watching at home or clustered around screens and phones on the street.</p><p>No one was prepared for the ear splitting scream. Riley clutched her arms around herself hysterically, tears spilling over and dropping on to the body below. It was another girl, pasty white with blood oozing through her ripped shirt. Crimson soaked outwards onto the sand, covering Riley's hands and knees.</p><p>"A-A-Anna!" Riley wailed. "Sh-she's dead!" Her sentences ripped through the air, broken by great hiccuping sobs. Riley reached out and tugged Anna into her lab, revealing a gaping hole to her side where it looked like something had ripped through her, scooping out her organs in an instant grisly death.</p><p>At home Anna's little sister stared at the TV in confusion as her mother fell against her father, gripping his jacket with an unbreakable grip. Neighbors could hear the echoing howls from her mother. No one went to see what was wrong. The TV told them what they needed to know.</p><p>After a moment where only Riley's trembling shoulders moved Cameron's hesitant voice broke the silence. Moisture in the corner of his eyes was visible but he straightened as said in a somewhat strangled tone, "We've got to keep going, Riley. The other's need our help."</p><p>"Cameron's right, pull yourself together Ri." Lizzy said from where she stood gingerly on a throbbing ankle, her golden brown shoulder length hair hanging in strings of sand and grime, darkening it's hue.</p><p>"I-I you're...you're r-right." She pushed herself away from Anna and wiped her blood onto her pants. For the most part she only smeared the liquid more and red still clung around finger nails and creases in her palm, but Riley ignored this, instead making her way back to Ava, who she had woken up next to.</p><p>"A-Ava, it's time to get up now. P-please." Ava's mouth parted and her nose flared. The heavy scent of metal suffocating her until she sat up straight with a gasp, one hand clutching her temple, black strands of hair weaving around her fingers as they tentatively probed her skull. She grimaced.</p><p>"Bette's good!" Jason's announcement was followed by a groan from said girl. When the viewpoint panned over to include her Bette's feature's caused some to grimace. Swelling had overtaken a blackened eye and a puffy cut ran across the bridge of her perfectly shaped nose. Her lip was split and a slash ran through her shirt down the arm with blood dripping down her skin.</p><p>"Glad you're awake, Bette-Baby. We need some help."</p><p>Each student was slowly awakened, similarly battered. Each time the audience winced at the damage done to the kids, turning their own children away.</p><p>The Justice League was frantic, filled with angry yelling and multiple walls being punched, cracks filtering out across walls as the frustration, the <em>uselessness </em>became overbearing. Superman paced back and forth angrily as other league members came to him, seeking answers. He turned each one away with the same response. <em>I don't know.</em></p><p>He did know that he needed to watch the screen though, because he needed to know what had happened to Richard Grayson, or as he knew him better, Robin.</p><p>The warning from the man at the beginning of the showing echoed in his thoughts. He was going after Robin and Batman, was this it? Was this where Robin would end? Lying in the sand surrounded by dying classmates?</p><p>He closed his eyes. Batman-no-Bruce would be destroyed. Robin was all that held Batman up on some nights. The nights spent dodging through allies and tying up crooks, stopping gangbangers and psychopaths. Batman needed his Robin, he was Batman's heart, and if Batman's heart was gone Superman didn't want to know how that would affect him, the Justice League, and in turn, the world.</p><p>Everything would be ruined.</p><p>It seemed that something had heard his desperation though, along with other league members aware of Robin's true identity, because the camera panned over to watch as Lizzie stumbled towards a small black haired boy, curled up with his knees against his chest.</p><p>"Hey-hey Richard." People all over the world watched with bated breath. This kid's dad was a big deal, they had a feeling that if anything happened to Richard Grayson someone was going to pay. They had no idea.</p><p>Lizzie reached out to touch the boy's shoulder, when suddenly she couldn't. In a blink of an eye Richard was feet away, shifting into a defensive position, halfway into an almost crouch he froze, eyes flicking from side to side taking in his wounded classmates.</p><p>"Liz?" He frowned. "The plane..."</p><p>It seemed that answers weren't important though because Richard suddenly caught sight of a boy named Thomas, his hands clutched around another boys' shoulders as he shook him back and forth, the unconscious boy's head lolling around like a rag-doll.</p><p>"Stop! Jeez, Thomas, you'll kill him if you shake him like that with a head wound."</p><p>It seemed the boy was right and doctors rested easier as they watched Richard's small form hobble over to Thomas's side. Richard gently laid the other boy down before shrugging off a black blazer. The same type that all the kids seemed to be wearing. He bundled it up and slid it under the boys shoulders and head.</p><p>The boy was darker skinned, with dark hair and long features. Thomas watched in confusion as Richard examined the boy's head.</p><p>"Is Elijah okay?" Thomas asked. Richard ignored him, instead muttering under his breath.</p><p>"...No skull fracture..."</p><p>"Uh, Richard?"</p><p>"One sec." Richard looked around for a second before his gaze landed on Thomas's mostly intact jacket. "I need your jacket, quickly."</p><p>Thomas hesitantly pulled it off, wincing as it caught on his skinned elbow. "Thanks." Richard barely spared him a glance as he determined the cleanest part of the blazer and then held it up to a cut above Elijah's eye. The dark liquid slowly saturated the coat.</p><p>"Here." Richard grabbed Thomas's hand and placed it firmly where his had been moments before.</p><p>"Woah, um, dude I don't really think I can-"</p><p>"Apply pressure equally to the entirety of the wound, if the side of the cloth soaks through fold over the jacket and hold it on top of the other part, don't remove it whatever you do."</p><p>"Oh, uh okay, but-"</p><p>Richard left and instead moved to where Riley was having trouble with another classmate.</p><p>Classmate to classmate he roamed, showing those who were aware and mobile how to care for the unconscious or how to deal with injuries. He seemed to really know his stuff, even providing answers for how to deal with a broken arm.</p><p>Occasionally Richard would make his way over to someone and even before he reached them the way he walked changed. His shoulders slumped and his steps became less brisk. Each time he made sure to search their neck and wrist, but he always shook his head negatively, signaling no pulse. Each time students sobs cut through the air and tears spilled over before being brushed away impatiently or dripping onto the sand. Richard never cried, just bowed his head and made his way towards the next injury.</p><p>Things were becoming less chaotic. Most of the kids had gathered in a circle, nursing cuts and bruises, cutting swift glances at the motionless bodies over strewn farther down the beach. Richard was making his way to the last person he hadn't checked yet, followed faithfully by Chris, a tall sandy haired blue eyed teen with wide shoulders.</p><p>"Is that Mr. Robinson?" Chris asked. The man was scrunched uncomfortably, his legs folded under his torso and blood running down his frame, covering multiple clusters of bruises.</p><p>"Yeah. The only other adults on the plane were the pilots, and they weren't wearing the school uniform." Richard answered as they reached the teacher, his curly black hair encrusted with sand.</p><p>Richard knelt down next to the teacher and tilted his head to allow access to his neck. Doing this caused blood to gush freely from his mouth and people leaned closer to their screens. This was the only adult they'd seen so far, the pilots nowhere to be found. These kids would need adult guidance and blood from the mouth was never a good sign. Richard probed along the flesh for a second before giving a relieved sigh and settling his weight back against his heels.</p><p>"He's alive."</p><p>Chris sighed as well. "You're really good with this whole first aid thing, huh?"</p><p>Richard hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."</p><p>"So what's up with him? Why isn't he waking up?"</p><p>Richard ran his hands through the man's curls. "It's here. He hit his head, there's a bump right there. It should be okay but he'll be out for a while."</p><p>"How long?"</p><p>Richard raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a doctor, I have no idea."</p><p>A dull flush crept up Chris's neck, hardly noticeable over the assortment of scratches that lined under his chin.</p><p>"...Whatever. What do you want to do for him?"</p><p>Richard frowned. "Well I don't want to move him, he might have something wrong with his brain..."</p><p>Seeing the thunderstruck expression cross Chris's face Richard backtracked.</p><p>"I mean, it's probably like a concussion or something, either way I think we should go check on everyone else, it doesn't look like they're doing too good." Both glanced up where they could hear raised voices.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah I guess we should go over...But just leave him here?" Chris looked guiltily down at their teacher.</p><p>"Well normally if he was unconscious he'd be heading for a hospital, but I don't see one around here, unless, you know, those trees are hiding a city."</p><p>Chris sighed.</p><p>"Okay, let's head up."</p><p>The two boys trekked across the sand, giving a wide berth to the body of Anna, who was staring unseeingly at the sky.</p><p>People all over grew somber at the twisted broken teenager.</p><p>They watched as Richard and Chris joined the group, walking right into an argument.</p><p>Immediately the camera panned around to show a girl who hadn't been named yet, someone who had woken up later in the chaos.</p><p>It was a slender girl, who was obviously attractive, with carefully sculpted eyebrows, a makeup smeared face, and tan skin.</p><p>"You, kid, is the old guy dead or what?"</p><p>A few kids winced at the phrasing.</p><p>Riley scowled. "Oh my God, could you be any ruder, Lindsey?"</p><p>The pretty girl, Lindsey, glared at the brunette heatedly.</p><p>Before their exchange could get any tenser a voice interrupted them, coming from a small black haired boy noticeably smaller than anyone else. Richard Grayson. "He's alive, just unconscious."</p><p>Lindsey clenched her teeth. "Okay then, math geek, what's next? I literally chipped a nail and my leg got all banged up. You fixin' it?'</p><p>Adults all over rolled their eyes. It was only a matter of time, them following a group of rich school students, before they came across a snob. As people mentioned this others reminded them that she was going through a highly traumatic event and should probably be given some slack.</p><p>"Your leg should heal in time and the nail will be fine." Lizzy snapped.</p><p>"She did kind of bring up a good point." Cameron pointed out reluctantly. "We need to figure out what we're going to do next."</p><p>Some of the kids looked terrified while others looked completely baffled.</p><p>After a moment Chris spoke up. "Hey, Richard, you're good with this sort of thing, I mean the first aid and all that, what are we supposed to do?"</p><p>Everyone turned to the younger boy, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.</p><p>The audience waited, on the edge of their seats, contemplating how it is this boy who had proven himself quite resourceful would handle this responsibility. Right as Richard Grayson opened his mouth to reply the screen went black.</p><p>
  <strong>"These are humans."</strong>
</p><p>He was back, the voice that would be haunting nightmares along with the images of dead teenagers.</p><p>
  <strong>"Humans are weak, easily destroyed. They are my puppets."</strong>
</p><p>Justice league members curled their hands into fists angrily.</p><p>
  <strong>"Tomorrow, at exactly noon in Gotham this same feed will play. Watching this will ensure your understanding of who the superior inhabitants of Earth are. Remember to tune in."</strong>
</p><p>Screens flickered off then back to whatever they were focused on before the interruption.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So...here's the thing. I've got a FanFiction account I've written ten chapters of this story for...the only problem is that I wrote it when I was like, twelve or thirteen. So it's totally cringy. But I've also already moved everything else from that account here...so I'm gonna post this story too. Complete the set...you know how it is. And if you don't then this is just an unfortunate situation. </p><p>Okay, the point. I'm gonna do some spell checking and post those chapters here...but the story isn't complete and I'm currently rewriting it. So like, you can keep reading this if you want...this is just a warning of what you're getting into. </p><p>And one more thing...It's been a while since I wrote this but I still wrote it...so I'd love to hear what you guys think in the comments? Pls? That's all. Cya!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Planning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heyyyy. So, after posting the first chapter I realized I probably wasn't that clear in the notes at the end...I just want to make it completely known that I'm currently rewriting this story and that the ten chapters I've started and am going to post on ao3 will not be continued...I just already wrote them and when I moved everything else over here was like, 'wth let's do the whooooole set.' </p><p>I mean, I read tons of incomplete stories, so you're free to go ahead and keep reading. But I just wanted you to know what you're getting into. </p><p>So that's that. But...chaps here and posted.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fingers clicked furiously on the keyboard, darting back and forth over keys in quick strokes. A kind of fog hovered over Bruce's line of sight, clouding over his vision. He shook his head slightly and squeezed his eyes open and closed.</p><p>"Master Bruce, perhaps-"</p><p>"No, Alfred." Bruce answered, already knowing what the butler had been about to suggest.</p><p>He didn't have time to be indulging himself in sleep or eating, or anything pertaining to stepping away from the batcomputer where he had sat faithfully through the entirety of yesterday's afternoon, throughout the night, and that morning.</p><p>He did, however, reach for the thermos that sat beside him, tilting the drink up he let the steaming black liquid spill into his waiting mouth, gulping down the coffee. Alfred watched him, the familiar sight of his master drowning his sorrows in his work wasn't comforting, not at the slightest, just familiar, something he'd count on always.</p><p>The butler's emotionless mask flickered into a grimace. Normally it would be Robin who managed to distract Batman long enough to leave a case, but Robin wasn't here.</p><p>Silence in the cave, the only movement, Bruce's fingers and the continuous ticking of the second hand from a clock hung on the wall.</p><p>Bruce's keen eyes flicked towards the ticking, taking in the way the minute hand hovered over the nine, standing bold against the white background, the hour hand approaching the twelve.</p><p>His typing became quicker, steadier. They were running out of time and he still hadn't found anyway to help Dick. Bruce clenched his jaw at the thought, Dick navigating how to protect his classmates while guarding his secret identity. He hadn't even made any move of awareness, some sign that showed he had recognized the fact the world was watching.</p><p>He needed to save Richard, some way, somehow, because there was no way he'd ever be able survive without him. Robin; the only reason Batman stood after some nights out fighting crime. Dick; the boy who was relied upon by himself and Alfred for bringing laughter and joy into the mansion that had grown cold after so many years.</p><p>Another glance at the clock.</p><p>Thirteen minutes.</p><p>More typing.</p><p>Nine minutes.</p><p>More coffee.</p><p>Eight minutes.</p><p>Swallowing thickly, ignoring the desperation threatening to boil over.</p><p>Six minutes.</p><p>Alfred stepping closer to the bat computer in preparation.</p><p>Three minutes.</p><p>How was he right now? Would he find out his bird had died already?</p><p>A minute.</p><p>He stopped typing unknowingly, pondering his options.</p><p>Thirty seconds.</p><p>If their secrets were revealed could he keep Dick safe? Where would they hide?</p><p>Fifteen seconds.</p><p>Would it turn on at exactly twelve?</p><p>Ten.</p><p>Five.</p><p>Four.</p><p>Three.</p><p>Two.</p><p>One.</p><p>The screen flickered with an odd sort of finality.</p>
<hr/><p><strong>"Good evening ladies and gentleman!" </strong>The voice grated on Bruce's nerves. He automatically curled his hands into fists, Alfred adorning a patronizing frown as he stared sharply towards the computer.</p><p>
  <strong>"I notice that today many more of you insects have gathered around your devices in preparation for my return."</strong>
</p><p>People all over the globe shifted guiltily, surrounded by others they had met up with to witness the next segment of the class's story.</p><p>
  <strong>"The weakness of your kind never ceases to amaze me."</strong>
</p><p>Members of the Justice League scowled. This presumed meta-human would have once been a human himself. His hypocritical behavior confirming the belief that power in the wrong hands could effectively corrupt anyone.</p><p>
  <strong>"Nonetheless, we will continue where we left off, spectators of the trials man and woman may endure."</strong>
</p><p>"They aren't 'man and woman!' They're kids!" Green Arrow cried indignantly, the video flickering over to show the green clad man, hands tightly wrapped around his bow.</p><p>
  <strong>"Oh, but not all are children, as you know indeed, Green Arrow."</strong>
</p><p>The man in question immediately closed his mouth with a snap. His actions leading to the revelation of Robin's identity would not benefit his life expectations.</p><p>The same thoughts ran through the heads of other superheroes, mostly the founders and their most trusted inner circle.</p><p>To the common people of Earth however the man's statement caused outrage.</p><p>"One knocked out teacher doesn't make up for stranding a group of teenagers!" A woman yelled heatedly from a mass of people in New York City. The screen changed to her, ignoring the countless identical outbursts that rang throughout the globe. She immediately recoiled, slinking back into the depths of the crowd.</p><p>The screen shifted back to darkness.</p><p>
  <strong>"Watch closely now, my pets, for we soon will delve into the confusion and suffering that plagues your kind. We will reveal the weakness of even those who rise above expectation!"</strong>
</p><p>A pause.</p><p>
  <strong>"Enjoy!"</strong>
</p><p>The screen faded into a moment of darkness before changing into vibrant motion.</p>
<hr/><p>Expecting the continuation of yesterday's scene the audience was unprepared for the vicious onslaught of fluttering images, switching in a summary with a mismatch of words and phrases from the previous showing.</p><p>
  <em>Bette Kane, sitting besides Jason in the plane.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nice try Jason."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Images of faces, screwed up in concentration or generally relaxed rushed past, including a memorable shot of the girl, Anna, from the previous day, laughing happily with Riley.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The shot lingered on Dick Grayson.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Screams echoing, overlapping each other in a brutal quoir of shock and agony, petering out, replaced by snatches of conversation.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mangled bodies lying on the ground.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Please! Get up!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shifting over prone bodies, glaringly different from the sand they lay sprawled across.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Cameron, come on!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A snatch of Cameron's face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh God."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzy warily standing on a busted ankle.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"-Pull yourself together-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ava struggling to wake with Riley hovering over her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"P-please!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bette shaking her head against the fog leftover from unconsciousness.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"-Bette-Baby, we need some help."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzie approaching Richard Grayson.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Liz? The plane..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Richard weaving through the injured.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Moans blurring together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Richard showing Thomas how to deal with Elijah's head wound.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"-I don't really think I can-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Richard and Chris approaching the still form of Mr. Robinson.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"-Go check on everyone else-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lindsey cradling her damaged nail tenderly while glaring in the direction of the two boys.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shots of confused expressions.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zooming in on Richards frozen features as Chris asked,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"-What are we supposed to do next?"</em>
</p><p>The footage flickered with finality before settling on Richards face as he responded, it would seem they had caught up.</p><p>The bombardment of images left the audience reeling, blinking uncertainly.</p><p>"Intense." Green Lantern commented from the Watchtower. Others around him nodded.</p><p>They quieted down as Richard began to speak.</p><p>"I-uh, I'm not sure it's the best idea for me to be giving out instructions." He shifted his weight from foot to foot hesitantly.</p><p>Lindsey scoffed. "I knew it. He's just a math geek."</p><p>A frown etched its way across Richard's face.</p><p>Bette scowled and stepped forward. "He might be a math geek, but he's the one who helped all of us when he saw we were hurt!"</p><p>"Whatever." Lindsey scoffed.</p><p>A boy, all muscle, to her side suddenly spoke up. "He's still a circus freak, guess we'll have to hope he doesn't lead us to the same sticky end as everyone else he's ever known." The teenagers seemed well adjusted to the insult, including the boy it was directed at, however members of the audience gasped as others watched in confusion.</p><p>"Shut up, Cole." Bette said, her voice lacking the conviction to back the threatening statement. Cole's angular eyebrows pulled closer together but Bette clearly had some pull. This seemed to be enough to persuade the boy to drop it. Lindsey didn't look so easy to please.</p>
<hr/><p>Crowded streets all across the world were buzzing with the rumors of the past, stories spread of how the youngest Grayson came to live with Bruce Wayne.</p><p>"Yeah, his parents died, fell off the trapeze, the kid watched it all."</p><p>"Jeez, you'd think that if they were in the circus they'd be able to actually do the act without dying."</p><p>"Show some respect, they're dead, ya know."</p><p>"I heard it wasn't an accident, sabotage or somethin'."</p><p>"Yeah, Robin and Batman put the guy away. One of the first times Robin came out."</p><p>"Shh, the kids are sayin' somethin'."</p>
<hr/><p>Bruce Wayne himself was staring, frozen, at the screen. It wasn't the worst thing that had ever been said to his bird, he knew that much, but he couldn't help the swell of anger directed at the oblivious teenager.</p><p>Dick had never mentioned problems with bullies, he was Robin after all, but Bruce had done some digging on occasion, sifting through incident reports typed up by the school nurse. When he confronted Dick it always ended the same. In denial.</p><p>Reading the unaffected body language of Dick as well as his peers told him all he needed to know, this kid, whoever it was, had done this before.</p><p>He wouldn't be doing it again.</p>
<hr/><p>As Lindsey crossed her arms pointedly across her chest a shorter plain looking girl wearing the remains of a tattered uniform tapped her on the shoulder.</p><p>The girl's amber eyes switched from Lindsey to Richard Grayson. Her dirty blond hair, styled into a longer in the front bob, swished teasingly while she shook her head back and forth.</p><p>"<em>What, </em>Kathie." Lindsey snarled.</p><p>The girl shrunk back automatically. "I, uh, I really don't think now is the time for this."</p><p><em>Finally, </em>was the general consensus of the world. Now wasn't the time to be bickering over trivial matters, there were injured people and tasks to do if they wanted to stay alive.</p><p>Lindsey's jaw dropped open to reply and her features screwed into a distasteful glare, but a sudden addition to the conversation stopped her right where she'd started.</p><p>"Lin, Kathie's got a point." All eyes turned to Jason. "I mean, everyone's tired, I know I'm hungry and my leg hurts, maybe we can just shelf this for now."</p><p>Lindsey's mouth tilted into a simpering smile. "You're right." She slipped over to Jason's side, laying her head against Jason's chest, under his left shoulder. His arm automatically curled comfortingly around her.</p><p>The audience thought back to what Bette had said on the plane. She'd called Jason the 'school womanizer' it would seem she had the right idea about him.</p><p>Lizzie plopped down in the sand without warning, golden brown hair nestling in the crook of her shoulders and jaw.</p><p>Riley settled down right next to her after a moment of contemplation. She winced as the cut on her arm was jostled. Richard eyed the injury and made his way over to sit next to her.</p><p>Thomas sat next, brown eyes sullen and filled with despair. One by one each of the kids dropped, forming a circle right in the middle of the beach.</p><p>Richard had taken a strip of Riley's blazer and begun wrapping the cut, muttering angrily about the environment and lack of supplies.</p><p>"O-okay, uh, guys." Elijah mumbled, voice still fogging and actions still clumsy and uncoordinated. "So, wha-at now. Group leader? Or somethin'?"</p><p>The group of kids eyes each other.</p><p>"I'll do it!" Lindsey said immediately.</p><p>Bickering ensured easily following her announcement.</p><p>"No way!"</p><p>"You don't know the first thing about survival stuff!"</p><p>"I mean, she's not the worst."</p><p>"Ugh, I hate this idea, please tell me this isn't actually happening!"</p><p>"Dude! No!"</p><p>"Guys. Hey! Guys!" Over the mob of voices the black haired boy struggled to be heard.</p><p>The voices flickered out, gazes twisting to land on Richard.</p><p>"We don't really need a group leader right now, just a...monitor."</p><p>Lizzie dawned a look of contemplation. "Who's it going to be? You?"</p><p>Richard shook his head. "Even if I did appoint myself in charge and everything, I doubt you'd all listen to me."</p><p>No one answered, agreeing silently. Richard smirked slightly. "Exactly. We need someone you'll all listen to, someone who doesn't really have an issue with anyone else."</p><p>The audience watched with slight confusion. So far it had seemed like Richard had done a good job showing everyone what to do, taking care of everyone's well being.</p><p>"I think Chris should prod the group along in the right direction, control the discussion, you know?"</p><p>Chris looked surprised. He glanced around, searching his classmates faces for any animosity. When he found none he shrugged. "I guess, I mean, if no one has any complaints?"</p><p>When no one spoke up he nodded. "Uh, okay, well then, what do you guys think our first step should be?"</p><p>Lizzie raised her hand hesitantly. Chris awkwardly pointed at her. "Uh, yeah Lizzie? What's your idea?"</p><p>"I think that maybe we should make a list of things that need to happen, then put them in order."</p><p>Chris chewed on his lip, looking out at his classmates for their views on the idea.</p><p>Thomas shrugged. "Yeah, that makes sense."</p><p>When a chorus of agreement occurred Chris nodded. "Does anyone have a, um, pencil or something? I can write a letter in the sand to remember what we've already said, so we don't forget."</p><p>Cameron flipped a string of red hair away from his eyes, reaching behind him and picking up a stiff stick, a foot tall and as thick as a finger. He tossed it to Chris.</p><p>Chris snatched it out of the air and tested the durability by wiggling the top half side to side. When the stick proved sturdy enough he nodded.</p><p>"So, things we need to get done. Go." The audience noticed that with each word Chris grew more confident, authority filling his tone.</p><p>Riley leaned forward. "Well, we need shelter, right?"</p><p>"That's going to be hard with all of us." A blond haired girl spoke up from Cameron's side.</p><p>"I know, Pattie." Riley answered. "But we still need it and everything, right?"</p><p>Chris nodded. "I'll, um, put it on the list." He dug the edge of the stick into the sand, tracing out the letter's <strong>SR </strong>in a blocky thick text. "Anything else?"</p><p>Jason spoke up next. "I don't know about any of you but I'm still hungry."</p><p>Chris nodded, writing down <strong>FD </strong>next, for food.</p><p>"Okay, what else?"</p><p>The ideas came easily from then on.</p><p>Water.</p><p>Supplies.</p><p>Fire.</p><p>Rescue signal.</p><p>Exploring.</p><p>Medical care.</p><p>The audience watched as the kids named various things that they would need to get done and they couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed for the teenagers. It would be a lot of work, and so far they had no idea if any rescue would be coming.</p><p>"Guys." It was Richard Grayson again. "I know this hasn't been an issue yet, but we might not be alone on the island."</p><p>His comment brought a whole new round or worry to the people watching, as well as the circle of classmates. "What do you mean we might not be alone?" Kathie asked, eyes flicking to the treeline and back nervously.</p><p>"I mean, there could be predators or something, in the trees, we don't know how far this island goes or what's back there."</p><p>After a moment of silence Chris nodded stiffly and wrote down the abbreviation for protection.</p><p>"Okay, can anyone think of any other immediate concerns?"</p><p>A pause.</p><p>"Alright, well this is what we have so far." Chris looked down at the list.</p><p><strong>SR </strong>(Shelter)</p><p><strong>FD </strong>(Food)</p><p><strong>WR </strong>(Water)</p><p><strong>SS </strong>(Supplies)</p><p><strong>FE </strong>(Fire)</p><p><strong>RS </strong>(Rescue Signal)</p><p><strong>EG </strong>(Exploring)</p><p><strong>MC </strong>(Medical Care)</p><p><strong>PN </strong>Protection)</p><p>He read it aloud.</p><p>"I think it's all good." Ava said, everyone nodding along.</p><p>"Okay. Now what order should we put it in?" Chris asked. "What's our top priority?"</p><p>Richard immediately spoke up, as if it was an automatic response. "Supplies. The ocean is right there, and we have stuff all over this beach which can be swept away. We should collect it, anything could be useful."</p><p>Chris looked around before starting a new list, writing <strong>SS</strong> on the top.</p><p>"Wait a minute!" Thomas exclaimed suddenly, thunderstruck. "We're <em>right by </em>the ocean."</p><p>A pause.</p><p>"Uh, duh." Lindsey said. "Isn't that obvious?"</p><p>Thomas brushed her condescending words aside. "So, like Richard said-"</p><p>"Dick." Richard muttered, barely able to be heard by the audience.</p><p>"-the stuff can be swept away, at like, any time. Right?"</p><p>Alarm dawned on the teenagers expressions, as well as the thoughts of the viewers.</p><p>Chris glanced harrowingly from classmate to classmate, clearly feeling the responsibility pushed on his plate. "Uh...um, we could, uh, split up? Have a group of us go collect whatever they can, the rest of us keep planning?" He cautiously examined the reactions of the group.</p><p>Nods and hums of agreement followed his idea, to his obvious relief.</p><p>"I can go." Jason said, one hand trailing down the pattern of bruises on his leg, a minor injury in comparison to some of the kids he sat amongst.</p><p>"Me too." Cameron volunteered.</p><p>"I, uh, I can too." Kathie squeaked, blushing in embarrassment when her words caught, stumbling over each other.</p><p>"I've got it." Bette decided, to the surprise of many people. Who could have predicted it? Daughter of a big deal business man, ready to throw herself into the grunt work. The girl fiddled with her shirt sleeves, scrunching them up to her elbow and rolling her arms to check for any give on the fabric.</p><p>Chris nodded. "Okay, I think that's all we need for now."</p><p>"'Kay, let's go guys." Bette said, pushing herself up, off her knees. The others followed.</p><p>Some of the teenagers scooted forward, filling the gaps left in the circle by the less populated groups departure.</p><p>"What else do we need?" Chris questioned. Using one hand to prod the sand into a more uniform sheet.</p><p>"Water, right?" Riley asked. "Isn't that what they usually start with in the reality TV shows?"</p><p>Shrugs answered her.</p><p>"No." Teenagers turned, confused, towards Richard Grayson, the younger boy frowning in thought.</p><p>"Uh, what? Haven't you seen any movies, Circus Freak?" Cole said, flexing his muscles unknowingly.</p><p>Richard rolled his eyes, surprisingly not intimidated by the older boy.</p><p>"I've seen the movies, but we have three days to get water. Weeks to get food."</p><p>"Yeah, well sorry, but three days doesn't exactly feel like an eternity to me." Avery said.</p><p>Richard nodded. "I know, it's not. But three days is a lot more than a few hours, which is exactly how long until night."</p><p>"So?" Lindsey asked in confusion.</p><p>"So, I don't know about you, but I have no idea whether it's going to rain tonight, or how cold it'll be, or if there's any nocturnal predators-"</p><p>"Okay, we get it Circus Freak." Cole grumbled.</p><p>Richard ignored the jab entirely.</p><p>Chris hesitated at the name, but did nothing."So, Richard, what do you suggest we do?"</p><p>"We have a larger group of people, let's use it to our advantage. Split up, tackle the most pressing matters immediately, deal with the rest in the morning."</p><p>Chris chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "I like the idea, what about you guys? Anyone disagree?"</p><p>No one did.</p><p>"Okay, okay." Chris did some quick thinking. "Le'ts make columns, in order of necessity. Then, after we split everything up into groups, we can decide who's the best pick for each task."</p><p>"Sounds good to me." Ava decided. "I think that since we've already got people doing supplies we should put that under the first column."</p><p>Chris scratched four lines into the sand, forming three spaces, where he wrote <strong>SS </strong>in the area, for supplies. "Okay, what else?"</p><p>Thomas rubbed a hand through his curly brown hair, arm resting on the back of his neck. "I, uh, I think maybe we should put medical down? I mean, I'm not that bad right now, but some of you guys are still bleeding pretty bad..."</p><p>"Okay, yeah." Chris agreed enthusiastically. "That's a good idea." He scribbled a messy <strong>MC </strong>under supplies for medical care.</p><p>"We've got to put shelter there too." Lizzy remembered. "Like Richard said, the animals, and cold, and weather, and all that."</p><p>"Yeah, but where do we put it?" Pattie asked, twisting her hair in a spiral before releasing the ends and letting it bounce, falling back in place. "Is that the most important thing right now? Or is it secondary in comparison to fixing us up and gathering all that junk off the beach?"</p><p>"IssImportant..." Elijah said immediately, voice still thick and head still rolling to the side. "I don' wanna sleep with animals."</p><p>"Yeah, I'll agree to that." Lindsey said. "I don't want any creepy critters snuggled up to me while I'm trying to get my beauty sleep."</p><p>"Yeah? Well I could say the same thing, but I'll still be stuck sleeping next to you." Riley snarled. The two broke into a fit of bickering, Lizzie and Cole joining in on their preferable sides.</p><p>"Hey, guys." Chris tried.</p><p>The group's voices rose in volume.</p><p>"Guys."</p><p>Riley leaned forward, teeth bared.</p><p>"Guys!"</p><p>"What!" Four necks snapped around eyes gleaming as they centered on a bewildered boy.</p><p>Chris cleared his throat. "So, do I, uh, write it in as important?"</p><p>Lindsey sighed. "Isn't that what I just said?"</p><p>Chris scratched in <strong>SR </strong>under the important column.</p><p>Avery raised a hand, shrugging as she got odd glances. "What about fire?" I mean, it's something we'll need, for a signal fire and warmth, light, and all that other stuff. Does it go in the important column or secondary importance column?"</p><p>They pondered the question for a moment. "Secondary." Richard said. "We can deal with fire in a few hours, for now the medical care and immediate concerns that can't wait are what should be classified as important. If the need comes we can just..." He searched for a word, features twisting until he settled for a term awkwardly. "...huddle for warmth."</p><p>They all fidgeted for a moment, the audience imagined the awkwardness of cuddling with their classmates and winced in sympathy.</p><p>Chris wordlessly wrote <strong>FE </strong>in the second column.</p><p>"Water and food should go there too, right?" Patty asked. "Since we have some more time until we need it."</p><p>It went into the second space under the abbreviation for fire.</p><p>"So that leaves exploring and a rescue signal." Cole said. "I take it those aren't at the top of our to-do list?"</p><p>The group nodded, Lizzie and Riley more grudgingly than most.</p><p>"I can put those in the third section?" Chris suggested.</p><p>"Yeah." Richard agreed. "We can deal with those if we survive long enough to get to them."</p><p>The sun was out, it should have been light, but at Richard's words a darkness seemed to take hold of the circle on the beach. A circle of terrified teenagers whose certainties in life had just been uprooted and tossed away.</p><p>"Uh, yeah." Chris cleared his throat. "On that happy note, should we split up the jobs?"</p><p>The group of teenagers groaned, rubbing aching limbs, with heads perched against slumped arms and eyelids hanging lower than they had been earlier.</p><p>"So, is that a no?" Chris wondered aloud.</p><p>"Why don't we go grab the scavengers, help finish up the job, then we can run over the list." Riley said.</p><p>"Well that would work, but I think our list, which is scratched into <em>sand</em> might not last that long." Richard reminded them.</p><p>"Then let's just etch it into some leaf, or wood or something." Thomas said. "Chris and I can run up and do that, you guys can go help out with the supplies."</p><p>Everyone nodded and got to their feet, brushing sand away from their clothes and bending their necks against the cricks that had formed.</p><p>Richard nodded. "Lets go."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Lol, so I went through and did some basic proofreading and omg this chapter has some of the most cheesy stuff and worst cliches...I wouldn't say I'm an amazing writer now, but at least I know I've gotten better since writing this. 'Cause wow. I was cringing the whole time I was spellchecking. </p><p>But anyway. I'll post the next part soon...the only reason this one took so long was because every time I got on my laptop I got distracted and by the time I went to do it I was like, nah, imma sleep instead. So yah. </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
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